A typical home video game system comprises a home television on which the progress of the game, for example a war game, is viewed; a console connected to the television for receiving the cassette tape or disc on which the particular game is stored; and a joystick, joypad or controller connected to the console and including various switches or other manually operable controls for playing the game. A typical controller includes four directional switches (UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT) for moving a playing piece, for example a tank or aircraft, and a number of firing switches for operating the weapons of the playing piece, for example for firing particular guns or dropping bombs.
In a simple war game a player has one playing piece available to him with a limited number of movements and provided with a limited number of weapons. To make a particular movement or to fire a particular movement, all that is required is that one directional switch or firing switch be operated.
However, in a more complex game, a player has a larger range of playing pieces, movements, and actions available to him. For a specific playing piece to make a specific movement or carry out a specific action it is necessary for the player to operate a number of controls, each for a particular period of time, and in a particular sequence. Players who wish to play and enjoy the more complex game may be deterred from doing so because they are not sufficiently expert in the use of the controller. Even for players who are expert in the use of the controller it may be tedious to repetitively perform a complex sequence where the same playing piece is to perform the same movement or the same action repetitively.